Alaska
Marine Mammal Protection
The Alaska region has an extensive website that explains how to comply with laws for whale watching and viewing other marine mammals. For more information, please go to the marine mammal viewing guidelines and regulations page.
Commercial fishing operations can come in contact and affect marine mammals. For more information on what you can do and how you can protect marine mammals, please go to the commercial fishery interactions with marine mammals website.
Enforcement Officer Robert Marvelle measures a Pacific Halibut caught off an IFQ vessel that was landing in Juneau. IFQ Halibut have a minimum size of 32 inches with head on or 24 inches head off.
Halibut Compliance
Charter Halibut Permits
A charter halibut permit (CHP) is a federal permit issued to the owners of charter vessel businesses that catch and retain Pacific halibut. A permit is required in Areas 2C or 3A and valid only for the authorized number of anglers on the permit. Beginning February 1, 2011, a valid permit must be onboard the vessel during each charter vessel fishing trip. The permit remains valid until amended, revoked, suspended, or superseded by a more recent version issued by NOAA Fisheries. For more information on halibut, please see our Sport Halibut Management webpage.
Harvesting Subsistence Halibut on a Charter Vessel
The owner of a vessel that is registered with the State of Alaska as a charter vessel may use that vessel to harvest subsistence halibut provided the owner has a valid Subsistence Halibut Regulation Certificates (SHARC). Only the vessel owner and members of the vessel owner’s immediate family may be onboard the vessel while subsistence halibut fishing and may fish for subsistence halibut from the charter vessel (50 CFR 300.66(i)). For more information on halibut, please see our Sport Halibut Management webpage.
Regulatory Areas
Charter vessel fishing trips can’t charter halibut fish in Areas 2C and 3A on the same trip. Charter vessel anglers onboard a vessel may not catch and retain halibut in more than one regulatory area during a charter vessel fishing trip (50 CFR 300.66(u)). Also note that each charter halibut permit is endorsed for only one area.
Logbooks
Effective February 1, 2011, federal regulations require all charter vessel operators in Area 2C or 3A with anglers onboard catching and retaining halibut to have an Alaska Department of Fish and Game Saltwater Charter Logbook onboard that identifies the vessel (50 CFR 300.66(v)). Visit Alaska’s Sport Fishing Guides and Charter Requirements.
